A major ground handling disruption at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport has left thousands of bags stranded, disrupted cargo operations and forced Thai Airways to reduce flights after severe flooding prevented ground personnel from reaching work.

The disruption began Sept. 26 as heavy flooding across Bangkok made it difficult or impossible for many Thai Airways ground handling employees to report for duty. Suvarnabhumi Airport officials said staffing shortages were compounded by operational problems with some Thai Airways baggage carts, affecting both departing flights and baggage handling for arriving passengers.

At one point, approximately half of the airline’s personnel were unable to reach work. Nearly 10,000 pieces of baggage accumulated during the disruption, prompting the Royal Thai Air Force to deploy personnel to help move luggage while specialized Thai Airways employees concentrated on baggage sorting.

The disruption also affected cargo. Thai Airways temporarily suspended inbound, outbound and transit cargo acceptance at its Suvarnabhumi cargo terminal from Sept. 30 through Oct. 6 as it worked to address staffing shortages and warehouse operations.

The crisis has also drawn attention to Thai Airways’ ground handling structure. The airline provides ground handling services for its own operations as well as partner airlines at Suvarnabhumi. During the disruption, some third-party handling responsibilities were shifted to other service providers to free capacity for Thai Airways operations.

Thai media reports have also raised questions about the airline’s reliance on outsourced ground handling labor following staffing reductions during its financial restructuring. The reports suggested that the use of temporary and freelance workers may have reduced operational resilience when flooding prevented employees from reaching the airport.

The disruption has prompted government scrutiny of ground handling operations at Suvarnabhumi, including discussion of the airport’s ground handling concession structure.

Thai Airways reduced its flight schedule as it worked through the backlog and said it planned to restore normal flight operations beginning Oct. 3.

The operational crisis also resulted in a leadership change. Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri said Oct. 2 that the airline’s board had removed him from the position following criticism of the carrier’s response to the disruption.